Puzzle



STATE-s VPATENT OFFICE.

PUZZLE. Y

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,756, dated October 29 1889.

Application filed April 20, 1889. Serial No: 307,921. (N o model.)

To all whom it may, concern: Be it known that I, MATHIAs N. J onus, a citizen of the United States, residing at Escanaba, Delta county, lvIichigan', have invented a new and useful Improvement in Puzzles, of which the following is aspeeitlcation.

The object of my invention is to construct a puzzle containing a number of blocks intended to be moved about in the spaces formed on aboard, so as to change their position' relatively to one another and produoevarious combinations; and my invention consists in the features and details of construction hereinafter described andpclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of my puzzle; and Fig. 2, a section of part of Fig. 1 on line 2 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

A represents a compartment with smaller compartments on either side thereof; B and C, aislesleading to the larger compartment.

. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 are ten blocks placed in the smaller compartments, and l1 12 13 let 15 16 17 ,18 19 20 are ten blocks placed in vthe aisles. y

In constructing my improved puzzle I take a piece of board of suitable size and divide it as shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a space A at one end thereof, which is preferably rectangular in shape, but may be circular, oval, or irregular, if p desired, and is provided with compartments, preferably situated on each side thereof, opening int-o an aisle or space left in the` center of the main compartment. These side spaces are each of a size'to receive one of the blocks,

, and the aisle should be broad enough to allow two blocks to move up or downside by side and topasseach other. I next make two aisles leading -to the space A, formed at the end of the board. These aisles are preferably formed by three strips D, E, and K, secured to the board substantially as shown, and two blocks, one (lettered Fin the drawings) preferably of triangular shape and the other (lettered G in the drawings) of trapezoidal shape, and secured to the board in such position as to leave the two side aisles B and C and the 5o two cross-aisles H and I. The shape of these two blocks is of course immaterial, the object beingmerely to form the aisles B, C, I'I, and I. These aisles should be of a width sufticient to allow the movable blocks to pass freely through them, and the corners of the blocks F and G should be out away or rounded, so that the blocks may be able to slide around from the main aisles to the cross-aisles. I next construct, preferably of wood, some twenty blocks substantially rectangular in shape and of any desired size, and stain ten of them in one color and the other ten in another, or I can make them of diiferentcolored woods, or mark ten andleave the others plain, the ideabeing merely to distinguish one set from the oth er. At the entrance to the compartment A,I prefer to place across the aisle a block J, beveled or rounded toward the aisles and the compartment A, in order that the blocks when moved may be easily slid over the same.

My puzzle is used as follows: The blocks of one color are Iirst placed into the compartments of the` space A, and I will here say that, for the purpose of adding to the interest of the puzzle, I prefer to call this spaceA the White House and that two of the blocks should be named, one Harrison,the other f Morton, after the present incumbents of the Presidency and Vice-Presidency of the United States, and the others should bear the title of the eight Cabinet officers. The other ten blocks (two of which vin like manner may be named after the opposing candidates, Cleveland and Thurman) should be placed in the aisles and cross-aisles formed outside of the space A, the block marked Cleveland being placed at the pointX in the drawings and the block marked Thurman at the point Y, the remaining eight blocks being placedy anywhere inthe aisles. The object is now to substitute the blocks outside of the space A 'for the blocks within such space, and to correctly solve the puzzle it must be done in the following manner: The block marked Cleveland must be moved toward the space A down the aisle B, andthe block marked Thurman must be moved in the same direction down the aisle C. These two blocks must enter the White I-Iouse side by side and neither in advance of the other, and in order that they may so enter the blocks IOO marked Harrison and Morton must of course be removed or slid out before the two outside blocks can enter. The present incumbents having been exchanged, the re maindcr of the blocks outside must be exchanged for the blocks labeled with the, names of the cabinet positions Within the space A. The blocks, of course, are not to be lifted from the board, but only to be slid thereon; and if either of the blocks Cleveland or Thurman in passing down the aisle B or C turns around the point of the block G, so as to enter the other aisle, it must be worked back tov its original position and come down its proper aisle, always entering that Way.

Of course it will be evident that the material from which this puzzle is made and the dimensions thereof are not essential, but may be varied as desired, the puzzle being made of wood, card-board, or metal and of any suitable size. The aisles and compartments may be made by the strips, as shown, or may be simply painted on a board, or may be engraved below the surface of a board,since I have shown the puzzle in what I consider the preferable position, without intending` to limit myself 2. The combination of a rectangular space A, provided with live compartments at each side, main aisles B and C, leading thereto, cross-aisles H and l, connecting the main aisles, and a set of twenty blocks sliding Within such aisles and rectangular space, substantially as described.

MATI'ITAS N. JONES.

Titnessesz GEORGE S. PAYsoN, SAMUEL E. HEBBEN. 

